64
Smile
May2016
CANYONEERING
IN CEBU
WHITEWATER
RAFTING IN
DAVAO
Fourhours’ canyoneeringdown therapidsofMatutinaoRiver
feels likeaneternity: startingatKanlaobRiver in the town
ofAlegria,Cebuandheadingdownstream, you’llnegotiate
jungle trails, take long leapsdowncliff faces intoclearwater
andswimunderrockyoverhangsuntil youmakeyourway to
KawasanFalls inBadian.
You’llneedstaminaandaquickmind tosuccessfully
negotiateswift runningwater through jungleandcanyons.The
MatutinaoRiver’sdepthvaries fromplace toplace— it’sshin
deep inparts, and toodeep to trywithoutaflotationdevice
inothers. Safetyequipment isanabsolutenecessitywhen
canyoneeringaround theseparts: therocksare tooslippery
forbare feet, and therapidscanoverwhelmevenexperienced
swimmers if they’renotwearinga lifevest.Aquasocksand
other lightandsnug footweararehighlyrecommended.
badian.info
Don’tbe fooledby theplacidriverdeltaat theheartofDavao
City; furtherupstreamatMarilogDistrict, theDavaoRiver’s
chaoticwatersprovidebucking-bronco-like fun forrafterswho
canhangon to theirrides.
TheDavaoWildWaterAdventurebeginsatBarangay
Tamugan, aboutanhour’sdrive from thecitycenter.The
whitewaterraftingexperience takesboaters throughabout24
rapidsbearingevocativenames like “MonkeyWall”, “Washing
Machine”and “Drop&Suck”, until youcomesplashing toa
stopatCalinanDistrictaboutadozenkilometersdownstream.
Whitewaterrafting inDavao takes teamwork: rafters
arebriefedoncommandsandsafetyregulations, drilledon
properpaddlingandrescue techniques, thenpairedupwith
aboatbuddy tomaximizesafetywhilenegotiating therapids.
crocodilepark.ph/davaowildwateradventure
PHOTOSBY
KENNCAGOT
(BADIAN);
DAVAOWILDWATERADVENTURE
(DAVAO)
Water, please
